The Arts Station is pleased to announce a Call for Entry for Out of the Box: a Public Art Project!
Out of the Box is a project in which 4′ x 8′ plywood boards are turned into temporary murals by regional artists. Artists will participate in a Live Painting event on Sunday August 16th from 1:00 – 3:00pm. The artists will be selected from a Call to Artists with a DEADLINE of Friday, July 3rd at 3pm via the form below. Late submissions are absolutely not accepted.
Each prospective artist will submit their Out of the Box Proposal to a panel of adjudicators who will then select the artists that will be given the opportunity to bring their vibrant visions to life by painting a temporary mural.
Once completed the temporary murals will be showcased at the last Wednesday Social on August 19th. Afterwards they will be displayed in the Fernie community.
Important Artist Information
Who May Apply:
Professional artists.
Emerging artists. Mentorship opportunities with an experienced artist are available.
Community groups or collectives of artists. Mentorship opportunities with an experienced artist are available.
- To submit complete application below in full including the following:
- Brief resume or experience of the individual applicant or group if applicable.
- Contact events@theartsstation.com for further information regarding mentorship
- Graphics of your proposed mural
- Your application will be reviewed by The Out of the Box Jurying Committee. Incomplete applications will not be evaluated.
Provided for artists:
- Artist fee between $400 – $1000 (based on experience, determined by FDAC, who values fair payment to artists)
- Outdoor paint:
- Paint provided will be black, white, primaries: blue, yellow & red as well as our current stock paint. Please enquire if you would like a full list of colours we already have.
- Supplies such as paint brushes, rollers, drop clothes etc.
- Additional supplies can be provided on request e.g. spray paint.
- Insurance coverage while the artist is working on their mural.
- Promotional and marketing coverage.
- Freestanding Plywood substrate
- Mentoring opportunities for emerging artists and community groups.
Out of the Box Festival Dates
- Painting Days in Station Square: August 16th – 19th 2026
- Live Painting Event August 16th 1:00pm – 3:00pm
- Out of the Box Wednesday Social: August 19th 2026
Mural Dimensions:
4 feet x 8 feet
All Proposals must be 2:1 Aspect Ratio Horizontal
General Information:
Public Art is defined as artistic-visual, decorative or functional works selected, commissioned, created or donated for locations in a public space or facility accessible to members of the public, and including works of a permanent or temporary nature located in the public domain. The City of Fernie’s Public Art Policy seeks to grow the Public Art Inventory through the works and best practices that demonstrate:
Professionalism – Individuals engaged in the management and implementation of the Public Art Program shall exhibit the highest degree of dedication and competence in the execution of their assigned duties.
Outreach – The Public Art Program will endeavor to stimulate individual artist creativity at the local and regional level through the provision of educational and public awareness opportunities for learning, participation, and experimentation in arts and culture.
Diversity – Diversity will be incorporated into the public art program including artist and committee member selection, site selection, media, scale and style of artwork, through experimentation with new art forms as well as traditional forms, and through the work of emerging as well as established artists.
Copyright for works of art shall remain with the artist, provided that the artist, or copyright holder, must enter a written agreement for limited usage of the copyright by for non-profit public relations, documentation, educational and promotional purposes, or alternatively, assign the copyright to FDAC. Wherever possible in displaying or using an image or images the name of the artist will be indicated. If your work is selected a waiver must be signed indicating that you agree to the Copyright details.
We are looking for works that are vibrant, relative and individual. There is no specified theme for Out of the Box although submissions should be non-violent and family friendly. Please be mindful to avoid cultural appropriation when designing your piece. For paint colours we provide black, white and primary colours as well as what we have in our stock. Note we will not be getting specific colours for each artist so please consider when designing. Enquire if you would like a full list of colours we already have.6